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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. court — of a king
  6. bore — to drill
  7. suit — to fit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. suit — in cards
  13. sharp — clever
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. date — the fruit
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com